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FMCSA grant to help military veterans obtain CDLs

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has awarded an Iowa college to help military veterans obtain commercial driver’s licenses.

Des Moines Area Community College received the $88,460 grant through FMCSA’s Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Safety Training Grant program. The college says its goal is to train and graduate 20 military veterans and help them land driving jobs.

The grant will help the college cover tuition, fees and other costs related to obtaining a CDL. DMACC Transportation Director Dave Pfiffner says the college’s curriculum includes 180 classroom hours, 30 off-road hours and another 30 hours of behind-the-wheel training.

Hiring our Heroes program announces truck giveaway for military veterans.

To boost the Trucking Transition program for U.S. veterans, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring our Heroes Program, Kenworth and FASTPORT announced a contest today to give away a fully-loaded T680.

“We’re going to a young veteran driver… who has a tremendous record and really set that young driver off on their own entrepreneurial journey,” said Eric Eversole, president of the Hiring our Heroes program, at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. “It’s really a golden ticket for that young driver.”

During the nomination period, the truck will be shown at military installations around the country and at other trucking-related events.

The criteria for entering the contest:

1. A driver must be a military veteran or have served or currently serve in the National Guard or Reserve.

2. A driver must have graduated from either a PTDI-certified, or NAPFTDS or CVTA member driver training school and have a valid CDL.

3. The driver must have been employed by a trucking company who has made a hiring commitment and pledge to hire veterans on truckingtrack.org.

4. The driver must have been first hired in a trucking position between Jan. 1, 2015, and June 29, 2016.

The top 10 finalists will be recognized at the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas on Aug. 26 and the winner will be selected at the Pentagon in Washington on Dec. 16.